Humpback Whale Breach 101

Two weeks ago, I photographed this humpback whale on Frederick Sound. I find this image particularly striking due to the unusual, head-on perspective. The humpback breached towards me which helped illustrate its streamlined body. Also, the pectoral fins in this shot are perfectly angled at the whale’s side as it thrusts itself out of the water. This young whale must have breached at least 50 times over a 2 hour period. Incredible! I was able to anticipate the breaches about 50% of the time and zeroed in on about 12 different sequences that will yield publishable images. My dad was with me and managed to capture this breach on video using my iPhone, which you can view on YouTube.

When it comes to selecting lenses for wildlife photography, the first thing most photographers look for is focal length—a long lens that can reach out and cover great distances, bringing animals in for close-ups—but other features are also incredibly useful.